Handling new interns

I am a new nurse and I have the exact same problem when I call for pain meds.

If I know I am calling a new doc, say, for a patient with chronic pain who doesn't have PRN's ordered (this happens a LOT on my unit). I'll ask the patient what they take at home for this type of pain ("Percocet") or I'll look at their daily home meds, because I know they're going to ask me what I think would work, and frankly, I've not been a nurse long enough to be able to say, unless they are a frequent flyer.

Its very hard as a new nurse to be put in this position. I really hate when they say "What do they usually do for that?" I had one new doc say "What do you want me to do?" Sometimes I know what I want when I call and sometimes I have no clue or suggestions.

Why not just tell them that you're new, too, and you don't know?

Really, though, it's a good idea to have an idea what you want when you call a doctor. If you don't know, how will you know if the order you recieve is appropriate? I know you're busy and you have thousands of things to do, but if you can, do some research or ask another nurse or the charge nurse before you call the doctor.

Hey ... we were all new at one time and yes, that even means physicians. Often, I try to have an idea of what kind of order I would like when I call the physician. For those new nurses, it might be a good idea to review the patient quickly with a more experienced nurse to see what they think would be appropriate for the patient.

I have had several situations where I received an order from a resident that I questioned. I would say, Doc - are you sure you want me to give this dosage? We all have to remember that we were all new once and cut the doc some slack. We are all part of the health care team. Just because you are a nurse does not mean you don't know what should be ordered. Many times you do know what needs to be ordered. As you grow in your experience, it will not be AS frustrating ..... but there will be times!

Hey ... we were all new at one time and yes, that even means physicians. Often, I try to have an idea of what kind of order I would like when I call the physician. For those new nurses, it might be a good idea to review the patient quickly with a more experienced nurse to see what they think would be appropriate for the patient.

I have had several situations where I received an order from a resident that I questioned. I would say, Doc - are you sure you want me to give this dosage? We all have to remember that we were all new once and cut the doc some slack. We are all part of the health care team. Just because you are a nurse does not mean you don't know what should be ordered. Many times you do know what needs to be ordered. As you grow in your experience, it will not be AS frustrating ..... but there will be times!

Well put - who knows, we nurses may even teach those green residents a thing or two!

Exactly what i was thinking,, review the patient with your resource person on the unit with you. Check the patient for any allergies before you call. Make sure you have your latest labs with bun/creat levels availiable and the latest set of vitals. Hope the doc is actually awake if you are calling at night, and after you actually take an order review it again with your resource nurse first. If it doesnt seem right, call him back and have him verify that is what he wants to do.

Why not just tell them that you're new, too, and you don't know?

Really, though, it's a good idea to have an idea what you want when you call a doctor. If you don't know, how will you know if the order you recieve is appropriate? I know you're busy and you have thousands of things to do, but if you can, do some research or ask another nurse or the charge nurse before you call the doctor.

Exactly what I was going to say. New doctors are just as "new" at this medicine thing as new nurses are. Nothing wrong with it. I second the idea of running it by a more experienced nurse whose opinion you trust, and then call the doc.

I had excellent nurses who helped me along when talking with a resident, they would talk the situation over with me before I called and I always had an idea what would help before calling. There are certain things I have learned over time,for instance, I will not accept an order for Phenergan for nausea if the patient is over 65, have had too many flip out to go down that road again. It wont be long and you will start seeing what works and what doesnt. I can call a surgeon and tell him that this pt needs an NG tube and all but one will take my word for it without question. I may have converted the one surgeon who disagreed that his pt had an ileus and I proceeded to call the other surgeon when call time changed, put an NG down this poor man and received an IMMEDIATE 2000cc return!